Leoncavallo: I Pagliacci

Sep. 18 – 7:30 PM

Sep. 20 – 2:00 PM

Sep. 24 – 7:30 PM

Sep. 26 – 7:30 PM

All programs and artists subject to change.

Opera in the Heights Presents: I Pagliacci

Photography by Deji Osinulu

Synopsis

A travelling troupe of players performs comedies to all the country towns. Canio, leader of the acting company, observes his wife Nedda’s wandering eye and gives her a warning about flirting offstage – too late, as she already has a lover. Art imitates life in the playlet they present, including a lover for the wife, and a plot to get rid of the husband. Canio breaks character as he rages at Nedda for being unfaithful. It all ends in tears (and blood). Leoncavallo’s beloved verismo melodrama provides an emotional night at the opera.

A Kansas City Missouri native, Ms. Li has worked in opera houses across the country but now makes Houston her home. An alumni of University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music, Ms. Li spent time working on musical theater tours with performers such as Robert Goulet before becoming a student in Florida State University’s Opera Production Masters Program where she focused her studies on stage direction for opera.

In May of 2013 she made her directorial debut with Houston Grand Opera as Revival Director for John Caird’s production of La bohème. In September of 2014 she directed Rigoletto for Opera in the Heights, and in January of 2015 she directed a reduction of Le nozze di Figaro for Atlanta Opera Company. In previous seasons Ms. Li has worked for New Orleans Opera, Sarasota Opera Company, Orlando Opera Company, Grand Rapids Opera and has spent summers working at Wolf Trap Opera & Aspen Music Festival.